Many conventional electronic devices include a keyboard or keypad that allows a user to control the device and to enter data. Although these devices may have disparate uses, they all require a convenient mean for the user to enter data. In the case of mobile devices, small size and weight also have to be achieved. The keyboards used for these devices can be of different size and configuration, with different number of keys, layout of the keys, and different nomenclature. The same product may be produced with different keyboards, depending on the user's preferences.
Typically the keyboard is assembled during construction of the device and is an integral part of the device, so that the type of keyboard to be used must be selected before the device is completed. This requires extensive product planning to be carried out, so that the desired combinations of devices and keyboards are produced. This operation is also work intensive, since the various mechanical and electronic components of the keyboard must be assembled with the device as the device itself is constructed.
Many devices are designed to be portable, thus the weight and size added by their keyboard can make the devices impractical. In particular, additional accessory components such as speakers are often added to the keyboard, that further increase the size and weight contribution of the keyboard. Small speakers are typically used to minimize the increase in size, but these result in very poor sound quality.